10 Checking points

The purpose of this campaign in to encourage the nominated cities to apply the 10 checking points:

1. Put in place organization and coordination to understand and reduce disaster risk within the local government based on participation of citizen groups and civil society-build local alliances

2. Assign a budget for disaster risk reduction and provide incentives for homeowners, low income families, communities, business and public sector to invest in reducing the risks they face.

3. Maintain up-to-date data on hazards and vulnerabilities, prepare risk assessments and use these as the basis for urban development plans and decisions. Ensure that this information and the plans for your city’s resilience are readily available to the public and fully discussed with them.

4. Invest in and maintain critical infrastructure that reduces risk, such as flood drainage, adjusted where needed to cope with climate change.

5. Assess the safety of all schools and health facilities and upgrade these as necessary.

6. Apply and enforce realistic, risk‐compliant building regulations and land use planning principles. Identify safe land for low‐income citizens and develop upgrading of informal settlements, wherever feasible.

7. Ensure education programmes and training on disaster risk reduction are in place in schools and local communities.

8. Protect ecosystems and natural buffers to mitigate floods, storm surges and other hazards to which your city may be vulnerable. Adapt to climate change by building on good risk reduction practices.

9. Install early warning systems and emergency management capacities in your city and hold regular public preparedness drills.

10. After any disaster, ensure that the needs of the survivors are placed at the centre of reconstruction with support for them and their community organizations to design and help implement responses, including rebuilding homes and livelihoods.